Monthly Archives: February 2012

The Art of Waiting (a new essay in Orion)

The other week, at a reading of his new book, Broadway Baby, the poet Alan Shapiro said something about writing that I had to repeat to my students: “Writing is a way of being happy. Even if you’re writing about … Continue reading

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Bedside Reading

Some books I’ve recently enjoyed… From top to bottom: Swamplandia! by Karen Russell A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr Let the Dead Bury Their Dead by Randall Kenan Late Wife by Claudia Emerson The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obreht Assumption … Continue reading

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Cute Stuff in My Yard, and New Work

Just so you know it isn’t all propane tanks and old car parts: I also wanted to share a new story that has been up for a little while on Blackbird. I’m honored to be included in the fall issue … Continue reading

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Another Valentine!

This time a story I wrote with Richard. Dave Daley, of the awesome site (and publishing house) Five Chapters, asked me to write a story about a troubled celebrity marriage. I thought it would be more fun (and funnier) if … Continue reading

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Ugly Stuff in My Yard (a valentine for Jen)

Recently my friend Jen and I were talking about our love/hate relationship with certain design and lifestyle blogs–I won’t name any names, but you know the kind of blog I’m talking about. Perfect, stylish apartments and houses, beautifully photographed. Eames chairs … Continue reading

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Why Share? On Diane Daniel’s “Losing Him, Loving Her”

Writing something personal and sharing it with your community is hard. Fiction gives you plenty of places to hide–of course that isn’t my dad, smoking that cigar and talking loudly on a cell phone! That is a totally different Baptist … Continue reading

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Walkerton Cats on Broadway

Yesterday my mom and I went to Symphony Space in New York. Merritt Wever, who plays Zoey Barkow on Showtime’s Nurse Jackie, read my new story, “Havahart,” during a special edition of Selected Shorts hosted by Roz Chast. The theme … Continue reading

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hello again

People apologize all the time on blogs for their lack of posts–I know! But I do feel I’ve neglected this place, where I’ve enjoyed sharing books I’ve loved, kayaking photos, musings on rural life, and news about MQ. The truth is I’ve been … Continue reading

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